Trolley-switch.



A. BEVAN.

TROLLBY SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED 11113.4, 1910.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l/VVE/VTOR ATTOR/VE V WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH CO.,WASH!NGTON, D. c.

A. BEVAN.

TROLLBY SWITCH.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.4, 1910.

1,092,89 1 Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES IAII/ENTOR M wm/M ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PMNOGRAPH $0., WASHINGTONrDA C.

ALEXANDER BEVAN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TROLLEY-SWITGH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1 1., 1914.

Application filed March 4, 1910. Serial No. 547,297.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER BEVAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention consists of improvements in that type of trolley switch employed in the automatic operation of any system of signaling suited to the requirements of trolley roads, and the purpose of the invention is to produce a device that is simple in construct-ion, and uniformly reliable and effective in its action, with a minimum number of working parts, controlled so far as possible by gravity in the return ofsuch parts to normal position.

These'improvements consist chiefly in the construction and manner of suspending the parts actuated by the-trolley wheel in 010s ing the signaling circuits. The mechanical arrangement is such as to preclude the possibility of rebound or second contact from a single actuation of the trolley wheel, as is the case with the suspended tripper or strip contact. Further, since that portion of the trolley wheel flange which strikes the shoe is moving upward at the time of striking, a lifting and not a driving effect is produced, and the shock to the moving parts is materially lessened.

With these and other objects in view, the novel features of the invention will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved switch, partially in section. Fig. 2 isan end elevation partly in section. Fig. 3- is a detail slightly in perspective showing a pair of spring terminals. Fig. 4;- is a detail, slightly in perspective, showing one of the insulated spring terminals. Fig. 5- is an insulating disk on which two of the said terminals are mounted. Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective illustrating the controlling finger and the flange on which one pair of spring terminals is mounted. Fig. 7 is a small perspective view showing a detail of the curved shoe or plate actuated by the trolley wheel.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the;

base frame, which is supported on and secured to the trolley wire in the usual way. Extending upward from either side of this frame are two upright standards, 2 -2,

which furnish bearings, 33, for the shaft 4. A metal hub, 5, having a flange, 6, and

also a depending controlling finger 7, cast or formed integral therewith, is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 4. To this flange is secured a pair of depending spring terminals 8 and 9. A disk 10, of insulating material, counterbored and slotted as shown at 39 and 12, is secured to the hub, 5, and is rotatable therewith on shaft l. Fixed to this disk 10, is a pair' of depending spring terminals 11 and 12, insulated from each other, but in electrical contact respectively with the spring conductors, 13 and let, said spring conductors being supported on the insulating blocks 15 and 16, respectively, and connected to wires 17 and 18, leading directly to the signaling mechanism.

Various simple means may be employed in addition to gravity to restore the movable parts connected with the controlling finger 7 to the vertical position after each actuation. One such means is illustrated, which consists of flattened portions formed at 19 and 20 on terminals 11 and 12 in Fig. 1, against which the springs 13 and 14. normally rest, whereby the controlling finger 7 and the movable parts connected therewith are assisted in their return to the vertical after having been moved from that position by the contact finger 31.

An oblong shoe or member 21, curving upward toward the ends, is suspended from two points above the trolley wire 22, by means of the curved links 27 and 28. These links are pivoted to the shoe between the projecting ears 23, 24:, and pivoted to the base frame 1 between the, corresponding ears 25 and 26, and thus guide the shoe in its movement when actuated by the trolley wheel. The pivotal bearings, 29 and 30, of these links are elongated to allow for the free upward movement of the said shoe. Attached to the central portion of the shoe, 21, is the contactfinger 31, whose function is to bridge the circuit terminals 9 and 12 when the shoe is actuated by the trolley wheel passing toward the right, and circuit terminals 8 and 11 when the shoe is actuated by the trolley wheel passing in the opposite direction. Suitable openings are provided in the base plate at 32, 33 and 34 to permit the movement of links 27 and 28, and also for the movement of the contact finger 31.

Flat springs 35 and 36 are each attached at one end 37 and 38, respectively, to the frame. These springs serve the combined purpose of closing the openings 32 and 33-, of lessening the shock to the movable parts when operated violently by the rapidly moving trolley wheel, and of aiding in the initial return movement of the movable parts to normal position.

The operation of the device will be more clearly understood from the following de scription :lVhen a trolley wheel approaching from the left, as indicated in thedotted lines, strikes the shoe 21, the left end of the shoe is gradually lifted, throwing the upper end of the contact finger 31 to the right and upward between the circuit terminals 9 and 12, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus closing a circuit to operate the signal mechanism. When the trolley wheel has reached a position underneath the central portion of the shoe the latter will have been lifted to its highest position and will be practically in a horizontal position, while the contact finger 31, will be in the vertical position. As the wheel passes farther to the right, the left end of the shoe will at once begin its descent owing to gravity, aided by the spring 35 acting upon the link 27, followed by the descent of the right end of the shoe as the wheel passes out of contact with the same. The upper end of the contact finger 31 is thus made to describe an irregular curve, first to the right and upward, and then to the left and upward, followed by a downward movement to the left, and finally a downward movement to the right. During the latter part of the leftward movement of the contact finger 31, the controlling finger 7 and attached parts will be forced to swing to the left also, so that the terminals 9 and 12 will be bridged by the upper end of con tact finger 31 until the shoe drops back by gravity to its normal position above the trolley wire. When the trolley wheel moves in the opposite direction an exactly similar series of movements will take place, causing the contact finger 31 to bridge the terminals 8 and 11 on the opposite side of the depending finger 7.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A trolley switch comprising a pivotally mounted depending circuit terminal, a horizontally disposed shoe, an upright contact maker carried by said shoe, means for pivotally suspending said shoe above the trolley wire and below the terminal, said suspending means being connected to said shoe on either side of said contact maker, whereby the trolley wheel passing in either direcother of the said circuits.

tion will move said shoe and contact maker to close an electrical circuit through said terminal.

2. A trolley switch comprising a frame, a depending circuit terminal pivotally suspended, a horizontally disposed shoe, an up right contact maker centrally attached thereto, links pivotally connected to said frame and said shoe on either side of said contact maker by which said shoe is yieldably suspended above the trolley wire and below said terminal, whereby the said contact maker may be actuated by the trolley wheel passing in either direction to close a circuit through said terminal and then drop by gravity to open said circuit.

3. A trolley. switch comprising a frame, a horizontally disposed shoe, a contact maker centrally attached to said shoe, a pivotally suspended circuit terminal on each side of said contact maker, each terminal shoe on either side of said contact maker,

whereby the said contact maker may be actuated by a trolley wheel passing in one direction to close one of the said circuits, and passing in the other direction to close the 1. A trolley switch comprising a frame, two pivotally suspended circuit terminals, each terminal beingincluded in a separate circuit, a horizontally disposed shoe, a contact maker centrally attached to said shoe, links pivotally connected to said frame and said shoe on either side of said contact maker by which said shoe is yieldablysuspended above the trolley wire and below said terminal, said shoe and contact maker being actuated by a trolley wheel passing in one direction to close one of the said cir cuits, and in the other direction to close the other of the said circuits, said shoeand con tact maker being adapted to subsequently return automatically to their normal positions.

5. In a trolley switch, arpivotally mounted circuit terminal in each of two signal circuits, a horizontally arranged shoe an upwardly extending contact finger fixed to said shoe, said shoe being suspended by links from two points above the trolley wire, whereby the said contact finger may be moved to engage said terminals and close either one of the said signal circuits, said shoe and finger being restored to normal position by gravity.

6. In a trolley switch, a frame, a horizontally arranged shoe suspended by pivoted links from said frame above the trolley wire, an upwardly extending contact finger fixed to said shoe, a depending circuit terminal in each of two signal circuits pivotally suspended above the said shoe and contact finger, said shoe being actuated by the passing car to raise said contact finger to close one or the other of said signal circuits according to the direction of motion of said car, said shoe and finger being adapted to subsequently return automatically to their normal positions.

7. A trolley switch comprising a horizontally arranged member suspended in the path of the trolley wheel, an upwardly eX- tending contact on said member, a depending circuit terminal pivotally suspended above said contact, said member being actuated by the trolley wheel to move said con- Copies of this patent may be obtained for tact into engagement with said terminal to close the circuit, said member and contact beingadapted to subsequently return automatically to their normal positions, and anxiliary means for returning and retaining said terminal to and in its normal position.

I11 testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXANDER BEVAN.

Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLOW, E. I. OGDEN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

